Reviews by kkipple:

On-tap at the famous Brick Store Pub in Atlanta. I should mention that it was super fresh as they had recently tapped the keg.

Whoever our bartender was, mad respect to them as they actually filled the glass to the limit! The beer arrived with the fat, toasty tan head sitting proudly a good inch above the rim, but hardly a drop was wasted down the side. Someone knew what they were doing...

Anyway, enough head talk. Avery 14 is a deep red-black beer, clear but difficult to tell as it's so darn dark. Think a heavy doppelbock color. The head lasts several minutes before settling, leaving some sticky lacing down the glass. Sorry... I'll stop for real now.

I'll get right down to it -- 14 is a deliciously complex smelling beer. I had a real hard time placing it -- I suspected some sort of Belgian Strong, but this is strongly Americanized. No Belgian yeast smell here, but tons of alcohol, sweet dense roasted malt, massive citrus hop aroma (I later find out it's dry hopped), fruit and prunes, brown sugar, molasses and solid coffee all hits me in waves. It's all there, folks. Styles can take a flying leap, this is a strong offering that wears its ambiguity proudly!

It'd be redundant to describe, in detail, the taste of this one, as most of the aforementioned smells are present here in some regard. 14 is a sweet, alcoholic, citrus-hoppy, nutty, roasty, hot beer that somehow, amazingly, works. You wouldn't think a bizarre blend of so many flavors -- coffee, citrus, pine, prune, molasses, etc etc -- would blend but the cats at Avery have done it.

The mouthfeel is scintillating. Creamy, full, silky, and finishes bittersweet and hoppy. It's rich but I daresay I could nurse another pint of this over an hour. How do they do it?

Let me digress a moment and mention that oftentimes American brewers take the lazy way out and grab a style, turn it up to 11, dry hop it and shove it out the door. The hopheads and people who dig 12% beers lap it up (and there's nothing wrong with them, really) but the end result is a less subtle, less interesting, and ultimately less satisfying beer. Avery 14 is not that beer.

Bottom line: I'm not really sure what this beer is, but I do know I want more of it immediately. It was sublime on tap; now my quest for bottles begins...it's good to have goals, no?

More User Reviews:

Poured into a large wine glass a deep amber/brown with a wel formed1 1/2 finger light brown head that stuck like glue to the glass as the head slowly dissapted.Candied sugar and phenolic clovey spice mainly in the nose as well as some prune/raisin a hint of American piney hop shows thru but its somewhat faint.Dark fruit and brown sugar-like sweetness flavors up front a nice dryer almost resiny hop quality comes thru and lingers thru the finish with a light unsweetened chocolate flavor as well coming thru as I drink more..Hmm this is different its Belgium and the U.S. in a bottle the richness of a Belgian dark ale the hop profile of say a left coast strong ale,very nice I liked it.

Appearance  This is a thick, luscious brown in color with a brown head that came up just right. This is what I think of when I think of BSDA.

Smell  This has the classic Belgian yeast and big, darkish malts, but there's a spicing here that's very unique. Mostly you find this type of spicing in the BSPAs, but this puppy is super-spicy with lots of dark, dirty herbs.

Taste  I like the way the herbs mate with the big malty flavors, which grow exponentially as the ale warms. The yeast really adds to the smooth and sultry flavors of the malt.

There's some butter here, but not a lot. I'm also getting a light burnt flavor. It's very light; just enough to compliment the other flavors.

Mouthfeel  This is almost full-bodied with wonderful carbonation and a slight, burnt bitterness.

Drinkability  Avery is known for everything but drinkability, but this edition breaks the mold. It is very well done, with lots of class, and certainly deserving of a try.

The folks over at Avery jokingly described this as a "Dubbel IPA" and on the label "a very dark, different, dry-hopped ale." Yeah, fuck beer styles!

A somewhat typical Belgian nose, in that it's soft with some sweet suggestions; a bit malty and spicy, but interestingly herbal with alcohol and some floral and orange scents going on--think Grand Marnier. Silky smooth and incredibly creamy, blissful on the palate. You can feel it gently glide down the throat with a trailing alcohol burn--very warming and spicy. Maltiness is rich and complex, with flavors that literally pop and meld: tastes of brownies, ripe and juicy fruits, roasted nut butter, molasses, honey, black treacle, plus a semi-burnt raisin note. Hops get a bit resiny, with some major herbal action going on and a nice citrus smack on the backside. Black pepper. Faint vegetal; raw and leafy at times. Orangey. Roasty finish, a bit coffee-like. Dry.

Intricate doesn't even begin to describe this beer. Todd's wife, Candice (aka Cfahooligan), says this is probably one of Avery's best beers ever. We'll agree and leave it at that. Pairing? Here's your next barbecue beer.

Finally cracked this one. Pours deep dark brown with red hues and a khaki head on top that leaves spots on the side of the glass. Aromas of dark malts kick things off with raisins, molasses and chocolate in the mix. Lots of dark fruits mingle in along with an herbaceous hop backbone. Belgian yeast tones wrap this one up nicely.

First sip brings somewhat sweet dark malts upfront cavorting with fruit flavors all over the place. Molasses and chocolate meet midway through along with raisins and spice. Mellow coffee on the back end along with a bitter kick of floral, herbal hops on the way down. Belgian yeast tones round out this delectable brew. Almost reminds me of dessert with the rich chocolate and fruit flavors.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a fast flowing carbonation. Slightly gritty on the way down. Overall, this is an interesting brew for sure and really quite tasted. It has aged well. Ranks as one of my favorite of the anniversary series.

22 oz bottle. Pours a ruby brown with a large fluffy off white head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is chocolate malts, and oddly enough pesto and leather - pretty odd for a beer. Peppery nuts and smoke come out as it warms.

The flavor is sweet sugary malts and cola followed by some piney hops (with tinges of pesto - it's stuck in my head now), a little banana and smoke, and a sharp medicinal plastic finish. The mouthfeel is medium and creamy.

Overall, an interesting and unique beer, it just doesn't appeal to me.

Body is between solid medium and full with a solid but unobtrusive carbonation.

Taste is bold and complex. Pine and floral hops bitterness goes well with the different malt dimensions. Lots going on here. Berry and anise notes work surprisingly well with malty caramel and dark chocolate. Finishes with a pine hops bitterness.

This is certainly a jumble, but it works incredibly well. There are elements of several styles here but it is very well constructed and quite tasty.

Bomber, $6 at New Beer in NYC, "bottled in 2007" on the label. Pours near black under a looong lasting cappuccino head that shrunk to 1/8 of an inch and stayed there...gobs of thick and clinging lacing and sheeting. Nose is luxuriously of mocha, coffee, and chocolate. Tasty, complex creation, notes of raisins, more coffee and chocolate, leading to a leafy, earthy, hoppy finish. Smooth and coating on the tongue. Long lasting, enjoyable finish. Fine, fine suds from Avery. Go get some! Ready to be enjoyed today and/or put down for a year or so of seasoning

Brought to the table, it had a thick nice head of 1" that held rather well above a thick dark brown/black goodness.

Smell was of thick malts and tons of earthy/spicy goodness. Taste is almost overwelming. Very nice dark fruit notes with excellent hints of chocolate. Nice bitterness - actually a great balance of the taste. Somewhat sweet, but great with the malts used. Really great mouth feel and nice finish. I like this brew - a lot. I wish I'd ordered another, but maybe I'll get a few bottles before it is all gone.

Clear darker brown pour with ruby redness. Thick tan head. Heavy aroma of malt and molasses, toffee, sugar, hops, and a bit of fruit. Complex taste. Malt and sugar up front, very reminiscent of a tripel. Fruits and bread in the middle, with some cherry and tobacco. It lingers for a bit before the dryness of the hops kick in. Some smoke and metal with the hops, and a semi-dry finish. I've never had anything like this before.

The aroma is dominated by toasty caramel malt, along with some cherry, maple, yeast and bark. The flavor follows the aroma, along with some candied sugar, clove, a nice dry-hopped woodiness on the finish, and a warming buzz of alcohol.

This is full-bodied, well-carbonated, and complex--a lot stuff going on here, as we get a nice juxtaposition of cream and sweet versus woody and spicey. Very drinkable, with the velvety middle, despite the high ABV and smokey finish. Buy this up, I'm sure it would be great for the cellar.

Dark brown throughout with no clarity. The edges are a very dark ruby. The head is tightly bubbled, moderately sized, and light brown in color. The beer leaves ribbons of sticky lace down the glass. Gorgeous.

The aroma is a divine combination of dark fruits, namely smashed, juicy raisins. Along with the raisins are some fig and sweet date aroma, but the raisin character is abundant, along with a bit of cocoa powder. As a raisin lover, this is right up my alley, and this nails it. There's minimal yeast presence; it's all (dark) fruit.

The flavor is dark fruit forward, similar to the aroma, with raisins and fig leading the way, along with bittersweet, though rich, chocolate, some graham cracker, mild yeast character, and low bitterness. The flavor of chocolate-covered raisins lingers on and on long after the swallow.

Medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.

This is why I drink beer. The needles in the haystack that blow you away make this hobby as fun, interesting, and exciting as it is. Cheers and thanks again, Cory!

Pours an opaque black with a one-finger tan head. The head dissipates into a patchy layer of bubbles on top and a thick ring around the glass. The lacing is pretty sticky.

Smells good. Lots of roasted malt with a chocolate aroma. There's also a good smell of sweet Belgian sugar.

Tastes great. There's a sweet sugar taste up front to go along with a bitter chocolate flavor. It segues into a more robust chocolate taste, then into a mild toasted malt flavor that finally ends with a light bitterness. Lots of flavors that work very well together. There's also a slight alcohol taste at the end and a nice warming sensation as the sip finishes.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a good thickness with a mild carbonation that's still robust enough to bring out the flavors.

Drinkability is good. It's just a bit too heavy to make it exceptional, but it's certainly very good.

Overall I'm glad that I found this gathering dust at Tower. I like to check there and Capital City on Collier every now and then for hidden gems that nobody's snapped up. If you can get your hands on one of these, it's a good deal for the price, certainly worth a shot.

Hmmm...Thirteen was definitely more interesting.
Pours a dark mahogany with a nice 2 finger head of off white foam that is very slow to melt to very sticky lacing.

Aromas are sweet dark amber malts and oak notes mellowing and balancing it all out. There is another aroma in there I cannot identify but that makes it all the more mellow and smooth. (wait....plum????)

Taste is sweet amber malt, brown sugar (light brown sugar), a very small hint of dark candied fruits, citrus hop bitterness, and alcohol...in that order. A hint of plum comes to play as you swallow as well.

Aftertaste is mostly dark fruit and strong alcohol.

Warming and smooth afterwards. I think this will either mellow and truly identify itself with age (I will buy 3 more bottles to age) or whatever individuality it shows right now will completely disappear as it ages.
Time will tell.

Looks almost 100% opaque. Color is very dark, deep brown and head is large and fluffy, creamy colored with a slight orange tint. As the large head shrinks big blotchy globs of head remain glued to my glass. Nose has a very fresh, clean clarity to it. Hops smell like they're lurking in large quantities beneath the deceptive clarity. the malty smell is smooth with light creamy toffee, bread grain, molasses, coffee, nuts and a confusing but interesting touch of pumpernickel. Rye? Hops are hard to pick out individually. Floral, spruce, dark orange citrus, and smoothed out resins. Taste is crazy, as expected from the aroma. I'm not entirely or evenly partially sure what the hell is going on within this but it is definitely entertaining. Beyond all the flavors there is a pointedly dry, prickly finish. Body however is almost full but has a very light silky feel to it. Carbonation is relaxed, but I almost feel it has to be to offset the hoppy assault. There is an extended implosive sour bitterness that remains in the mouth far after the finish. Again, this beer is favorably (I think?) insane. Drinkability is slowly but surely. Smells like intoxication more and more as it warms too.

Pours a cloudy dark brownish amber with a huge tan foamy head. The head lasts forever and leaves great lacing. The smell is strong with Belgian candy sugar,alcohol,bread yeast,and dark fruit. The taste is sweet with candy sugar,dark fruit,coffee,and some alcohol. A nice flavor,but it is very sweet. The m/f is medium with all the flavors mixing very well. A very good beer from a brewery that I find myself liking more and more. Happy 14 and many more Avery.

It poured with a large orangish-tan head, with a near-black body with caramel tones. The head is pillowy, and lingered all the way to the bottom of the glass.

Aroma: grapefruit and melon hops scents, toffee, and even a bouquet of flowers.

Taste: caramel, chocolate/cocoa, grapefruit, starts sweet and is followed by a sharp bitterness. One of the wives chimed in with "its a million flavors at once." It was smooth, lingering, and very refreshing.

Drinkability is high, but this is a thick and strong beer so go slow.

Avery doesn't define a style for this beer. We would argue that if you cross a Russian Imperial Stout and an American Double IPA, this is what you'd get.

Pours a nice deep brown with ruby tints and a big fluffy light tan head. Nose is some dark malts, and slight fruits with a little licorice. Taste mocks with dark fruit, figs, nice malty sweetness and a little bit of licorice. Nice mouthfeel, but missing that true belgian texture. Drinkability is outstanding for the abv. Overall a very nice beer, don't expect some cuvee van de kaizer but still quite good.

I am a fan of these dark IPAs showing up, a couple of them Canadian. I received complexity between a good amount of hops and malt and barley. One of the better Avery's. Hoppy and dark and hoppy bubbly head. Very drinkable with supper. Good mouthfeel.

Very dark for an ale but not opaque. Good head and retention, Nice Lacing a little sticky.
Alcohol, Molasses, almost medicinal.
Roasted malts, Molasses, alcohol still alludes to an ale.
Not to thick but good carbination and good for the beer.
One small glass is probably enough.